Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-08-12
PAPER NO. /.

essary TO cut off a limb to save a
life. In political economy the same
necessity exists toward the body
polite. 1t is an accepted aphorism
that the we'll and good of the few,
must be subservient to that Of the
many. Yet a protective tariff, en-
tirely reverses this order Of things,
and makes the good of the many
subservient to that of the few. I'm.
der the rules Of natural increase of
population, we may safely estimate
tho population Of this country, at
60,O0O, 900. OF these statistics say
that 1000, 900 arc directly or indi-
rectly identified by protective tariff.
Now the question presents itself,
shall $4,000, 900 of people be op
pressively taxed to benefit so small
a minority We are of the opin-
ion that many persons have never
taken any other view Of this subject
than that it protects the American
laborer from the competition of Eu-
ropean pauper labor; but we appre-
bend, that the masses have never
made homely application OF the
subject to themselves, and have
failed to ask themselves, how much
they are laying for their neigh
boris good. Death and taxes both
being certain, are among mankinds
most dreaded foes. Present man
with tax bill, and he Immediately
begins to abuse and cast suspicious
reflections on the taxing power, and
invariably thinks if he were COM
missioner or legislator he could re-
duce the taxes to minimum sum.
The trouble about these State aud
county taxes is, that they are direct
and for liquidated amount, and
the payment is made by a check
against ones bank account, and
makes a corresponding deduction
in his available assets, whereas a
protective tariff, robs him without
his knowledge.
The tariff is anomalous to the
story told of two "drummers" or
commercial tourists.
Two drummers meeting in very
cold weather, one remarked on the
fact that the other had no overcoat,
which was explained by the latter
as being on account of his inability
to pay for one. "Why," said the
first, edo as / do, charge it in your
travelling expenses. No. 2 did as
directed, and at the end of his trip
returned his expense account on
which appeared
lone overcoat. ...............$4O 90
The head of the house quickly ex-
planned that they did not pay for
their salesmen's clothes, and had
the amount charged against the
drummer's account. Meeting his
fellow traveller afterwards, he told
of this, when No / said : ssurely
ven didn't itemize the coat. /" "Why
YES" said No. 2. Upon this, he
was instructed,to charge it under
the head of sSundry expenses"
and on rendering his next expense
account. he asked his employer if
everything was satisfactory, and
being answered in the affirmative,
he said: You do not find any
overcOats there do you? No. said
his employer. Nor any suits Of
clothes chargedg' .sNo"-again
replied the employer-ssit's all sat
isfactory.'' ~WelI I'm glad Of that,
said the drummer s'for there are
two suits Of clothes in it all the
same.
Now let rs apply this principle
to the tariff BY q homely illustra-
lion. Take we'll to do farmer Of
our own county-he is assessed on
SO, 900 worth Of property he paYs
at the present rate Of taxation Sis.
- State, county and school taxes.
We viii assume for the sake Of IL
Instration that he has sir il family